Current methods for distributing devices such as prepaid cards when an entity other than the actual cardholders actually fund the prepaid accounts are cumbersome and time consuming. For example, a user such as an unemployed worker may receive unemployment benefits in the form of a prepaid card instead of a check. That user may then use the prepaid card to conduct purchase. At some point in time, the user may obtain employment and may no longer be eligible to receive funds on that prepaid card from the governmental agency providing the unemployment benefit. At a still later point in time, the user may again become unemployed and may be entitled to receive unemployment benefits again.
In the above example, when the user receives unemployment benefits the second time, the user may have lost or misplaced the original prepaid card that the user had received when the user was first employed. While a new prepaid card and account could be created for the user when the user is unemployed the second time, this is particularly cumbersome and requires action on the part of the government, an issuing bank, and the user. The user may need to provide new credentials to the issuing bank before a new prepaid card is received. It is apparent that this may involve multiple communications between multiple parties, thereby consuming computing resources, time and energy.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems, individually and collectively.